If the approximately 1,040 students at Kenston High School ever felt their classes were challenging, there is now evidence to back them up.
Kenston has been named one of America’s Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post.
The newspaper vetted 22,000 public high schools while compiling its list, with only 11 percent making the cut. Kenston is part of an elite list, including 39 Ohio schools, 12 from Northeast Ohio.
The Post totaled the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests taken at each school and divided that number by the number of graduating seniors.
Additionally, U.S. News and World Report 2016 Best High Schools has highlighted Kenston as one of the top-performing public schools in Ohio and the country.
Those rankings are based on state assessments in math and English, graduation rates and how well students are prepared for college.
On the Ohio list, Kenston ranked 43rd, with a national ranking of 1,064, earning the high school a silver medal. The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 21,000 public schools nationwide.
“Inclusion on both of these lists reflects the values and expectations of our community,” said Superintendent Nancy Santilli. “We work diligently to provide opportunities for all of our students to achieve academic success. This is one more way that we are able to bench, locally and nationally.”
According to information from the district, 92 percent of Kenston graduates attend colleges or universities. There are 196 classroom teachers throughout the district with average teaching experience being 14.6 years.
Kenston Schools Board of Education President Beth Krause said as a Kenston parent, she is not surprised by the recognition.
“As a parent, I am very pleased with how Kenston is preparing my children for college and life after high school,” Krause said. “My son, who is a sophomore in college, said that he was better prepared for the rigor of college than many of his peers. As a board member, I recognize that Kenston students have opportunities to take elective courses that are not offered at many other high schools. These electives, such as art courses, business courses, foreign languages, specialized science and math courses and so on, expose our students to many career possibilities before graduating from high school.”
Kenston High School Principal Jeremy McDevitt is happy not only for Kenston, but for all the schools from Northeast Ohio that earned recognition.
“I am pleased that Kenston has been recognized as a top high school nationally,” McDevitt said. “Northeast Ohio is fortunate to have so many outstanding public schools.”
